Being Here
by Katiyana
Summary: New arrivals from an alternate timeline turn the lives of the command crew upside down. J/D & I/M
1. Chapter 1

Title : Being Here

Title : Being Here

Author : Katiyana

Disclaimer : I did not create these characters.

Summary : It was necessary.

Notes : I've always wanted to try my hand at writing a B5 story. Hope you enjoy this. Feedback is greatly valued.

"Allen to Ivanova," chirped the comm badge on the Commander's wrist.

"Ivanova here. What's up chief?" was the brisk response.

"I think you may want to come down to MedLab. There are," there was a strange pause.

"Umm, some new arrivals that you need to meet," finished Zack Allen uncertainly.

Commander Susan Ivanova raised her eyebrows and met the eyes of her commanding officer, Captain John Sheridan with a puzzled look.

"Is there a problem Chief?" she asked, wondering about his unusual hesitance. The Security Chief was usually frank and straight to the point.

"It's not exactly a problem, Commander. Err, I'm not really sure what it is. Would you also be able to get the Captain to come down with you?" said Zack.

The Captain and Commander exchanged another look.

"I'm also here Zack. Is it really that important? We're still catching up with some stuff and it is our lunch break," said Captain Sheridan.

"With all due respect, sir, you both really need to come down here as soon as possible, sir," persisted Zack.

"All right, Zack, this had better be worth it," warned Sheridan, looking over at the Commander.

"Yes, sir. Allen out," the comm chirped off.

"That was unusual for Zack, what do you think?" mused Ivanova.

"This is Babylon 5, who knows? It could be anything," said Sheridan with a sigh looking at the stacks of paperwork that were still unfinished.

"Well, I'm curious and it's better than doing that during my lunch break," said Ivanova, getting up and gesturing at the documents with distaste.

"Shall we?" said Sheridan and allowed her to precede him from his office.

MedLab

Whatever they were expecting, it was not the sight of a teenage girl sitting on the end of a bed. At the top of the bed, there were two young children sleeping. They looked like they were both below the age of five.

Zack Allen was standing next to the bed and looked up anxiously as both commanding officers strode into view. The girl stiffened upon seeing them and hopped off the bed. She looked at them intently and they both got the feeling that she was studying them very closely.

"Zack?" questioned Captain Sheridan, whose temper was beginning to flare. It was an extremely busy day and he did not have time for this, whatever this was. Why had they even been called down?

"They came in on a shuttle from Epsilon 3, sir. It was partly damaged and had to be towed in. The kids were unconscious but according to Dr. Franklin, they're both fine," said Zack.

"They've been sedated," stated the girl clearly.

The adults turned to look at her in surprise.

She flushed slightly but held herself rigidly.

"They're too young to understand it all and they would only be extremely frightened and confused by everything. We don't have much time for explanations before they wake up. We didn't want to hurt them so it was only a small dose. They may start to wake up in," she checked her watch.

"Two hours or less," said the girl.

"Who are you?" asked Commander Ivanova bluntly.

The girl looked at both of them for a moment as if searching for some sign in either of their faces, took a deep breath and said, "We're from a different timeline. We were sent to Draal for safety and Draal somehow sent us here. To an alternate reality for our own safety, he said. Well, mostly for theirs but they could not be sent by themselves, they're too small."

At this point, Dr Franklin entered the room holding a set of documents.

"Captain, Commander," he nodded at them with a cryptic demeanour.

"I've done the tests you asked," he said to the girl.

She stared back at him.

"The results confirm what you say," said Dr Franklin.

She nodded slightly in confirmation and then turned her stare back onto Sheridan and Ivanova.

They both felt that there was something strangely familiar about this girl. She was tall, with piercing blue eyes and thick blonde hair. Ivanova started to realize that she could sense her emotions very well, without even trying. That was incredibly unusual and the Commander was starting to become very alarmed.

The girl's next words were clear and electrifying, "My name is Iona Sophie Ivana Sheridan. I am the daughter of Susan Ivanova and John Sheridan."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Sheridan and Ivanova were both absolutely stunned beyond belief. Chief Allen and Dr Franklin did not appear as shocked. But that was because they had already heard this a while ago and Dr Franklin held the proof in his hands.

They both stared at her wordlessly. Iona met their stares without flinching.

"She's telling the truth, I just tested her myself. She's your daughter," said Dr Franklin, deciding to break the uncomfortable silence and he pushed some of the papers into the Captain's hands.

The Captain and his second-in-command immediately focused their eyes on what the test results said. It could not be possible. They had never been together, that way. It was unbelievable.

"What do those say?" asked Ivanova, pointing to the rest of the papers in Dr Franklin's hands. She was still too shocked to register any other feelings about this astounding revelation and decided to focus on something else, anything else.

Dr Franklin looked at Iona.

"They're proof about the parentage of these two," said Iona softly.

Sheridan and Ivanova glanced back at her sharply.

"Why do we need to know about their parents?" asked Ivanova, already starting to guess the answer.

Iona sighed.

"The little boy is named William Jeffrey Cole, he's four and we call him Will. She's just turned three and her name is Delenn Jenna Sheridan. We call her DJ because she has the same name as her mother," said Iona, gently touching each of the sleeping children in turn.

Sheridan's hands took the rest of the papers from Franklin almost of their own accord. Both he and Ivanova stared at them in shock.

"My parents never got married to each other. But the little ones are luckier, their parents are married to each other. They sent us to Draal because it seems like we're losing the Shadow War," said Iona.

At her words, both the command officers looked back up at her again.

"Captain, Commander, perhaps it would be better for you to continue this conversation somewhere else with more privacy," interrupted Dr Franklin.

Sheridan looked blankly at Ivanova.

"Yes, it probably would. My office?" said Sheridan, desperately fighting to keep his composure in the face of these startling revelations.

"No, I'm not leaving them here. I have to be with them when they wake up. They'll both be very confused otherwise," said Iona defiantly.

Sheridan gave Franklin a helpless glance. Ivanova did not appear to be able to make any decisions either.

"Why don't you take them to your quarters, sir? The little ones can sleep on the bed. They're fine and they don't really have to stay in MedLab," suggested Dr Franklin.

"Okay," agreed Sheridan shortly.

Iona bit her lip.

"I can only carry DJ, Will's gotten too big to carry all the way," she said pleadingly.

"I'll carry Will," said Sheridan automatically.

"And I'll take DJ," said Ivanova.

Iona did not argue.

They both approached the sides of the bed. The children slept facing each other. They both looked incredibly peaceful and innocent. Will had a shock of unruly dark hair covering most of his forehead. DJ had a delicate bone crest peeking from beneath her brown hair.

Carefully, both children were lifted up and securely held. Then without another word or glance, Sheridan led the way and carried the little boy towards his quarters. He was followed by Ivanova, with the little girl in her arms, Iona and Zack Allen. Zack had decided that he would see them all safely into Sheridan's quarters before he considered his job done. It was also in case the Commander needed help in carrying the child,

Ivanova did not break stride or show any signs of needing assistance when they reached the Captain's quarters. When the door had shut behind them, Zack left. He was intensely curious but kept his feelings to himself. He understood that they needed time to themselves. He could find out more later.

Sheridan placed the little boy down gently beside the little girl who was his daughter in another life. Iona had walked ahead and turned down the covers for them. It was a large bed but he had put the little boy near his sleeping companion so that they would be able to see each other when they awoke. They were both in a position that was nearest to the door so that they could be seen easily.

When they had been put down, Iona covered them with the blanket and lovingly caressed each child in turn. She obviously adored her half siblings.

Then she straightened up and walked to the living room. She chose a seat where she could directly see into the bedroom. Sheridan left the door slightly open at her request.

"You two never had me," said Iona. It was not a question.

They sat down and both shook their heads slightly.

"I guess, Draal thinks that we might be here awhile," concluded Iona sadly.

"How? When did we?" said Ivanova helplessly.

"Have me?" asked Iona.

"Yes," said Ivanova. She was desperate to know.

"The way you both told it to me over the years was that you had both been very drunk one night when you stationed together in Io. In fact, you actually named me after that place. Everyone always wants to know why I have a Scottish and Russian name. It never made much sense to anyone.

My mother ended up pregnant but decided to keep me. She was helped by my father and his family. Even though she had me, she knew that she couldn't raise me, so my dad's parents adopted me and raised me as their own.

I don't think anyone else really knew for sure what had happened. They kept it well under wraps. Mom managed to visit every so often. And sometimes my mom and dad would even visit at the same time. They knew that they were not meant to be together but they actually managed to stay close friends. They were pretty decent parents when they were around. So all in all, I had a fairly happy childhood.

Then when things got bad and Earth was under Clark, my grandparents started to worry. No one had ever directly related me to you two but they were worried that somehow they may find out and that I would be used against you.

So somehow they got me to Babylon 5. Where I've been living for the past few years. I think they were right. A few months after I left, my grandparents went missing. We still never found out what happened to them." related Iona.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

There was silence as Iona paused for a while. She had decided that it would be best to tell her story in stages. That was the first part. Draal had already warned her that things would be different in this timeline. He said that he had chosen it because it was the best choice he could come up with on the Great Machine at short notice. It was fairly safe and the people that she and the children knew were at Babylon 5 together.

Iona had immediately asked him what he meant. Draal had grumpily given her a short summary of the criteria that had to be met while choosing an appropriate alternate reality for them. It was probably more to do with the fact that there was enemy fire all over the sector and Epsilon 3 had been hit a few times that had Draal so short-tempered. But Iona had wanted to have as much information as possible and pressed him relentlessly. She would be solely responsible for both her young siblings.

Apparently, it was quite difficult to find a universe that was fairly similar to the one she had just left. For the sake of Will and DJ, it was definitely preferable that the universe contained their respective sets of parents. However, it would have to be a universe in which they themselves did not already exist as two versions of the same person could not coexist in the same universe. Added to all of that, Draal said it would be best if they were put in at the same date or as close to it as possible that they were at in their home universe for some other reason.

Iona could see the sense in all of that. She was highly intelligent, capable and fearless, which was unsurprising considering who her parents were. But it was a tremendous challenge for her, to abandon everything she had ever known for a shot in the dark. She knew that she was more than capable to stay and fight even if she was only 18. That was what she had meant to do. She would have fought side by side with her parents to the death rather than be captured.

But Will and DJ were far too young. They did not deserve to be captured and if it came to that, they would have had to be killed before that was allowed to happen. It would have been the kinder option for them.

So she had obeyed her parents when they had told her to take the children and flee to Epsilon 3, the last refuge that they could possibly try. It had been a desperate and brutal fight to escape off the station. Iona quietly mourned for her step-father, Marcus Cole. He had been the one entrusted to get them safely away. The last she had seen of him, he had been severely wounded and was still being attacked on every side. If not for his craftiness and cunning, they would not have gotten off the station alive. He was also equipped with the knowledge of every nook and cranny aboard the station, which he had used with amazing skill. She wondered if he had survived.

With a mental shake, Iona brought herself back to focus on the present. There would be time later to do what had to be done. She vowed to find out what happened to everyone she loved. She owed them at least that.

Iona found Sheridan and Ivanova looking at her intently. With a slight start, she recognized the feeling of a mind probing hers. It felt oddly similar to her mother's mind, familiar and yet not quite the same. She made a split second decision to let her guard down. Ivanova's eyes widened at the surrender and she drew back hastily. She lowered her eyes.

"My mother and I had pretty strong telepathic bond," said Iona.

Sheridan's eyes widened as well and he looked over at Ivanova, who was now sitting with downcast eyes.

"We were very careful to hide it but it was there. My father knew about it," admitted Iona.

Sheridan looked back at her and nodded slowly.

"I think I can guess when you were conceived," said Sheridan unexpectedly. He looked thoughtful.

"In this universe, we did get very drunk but nothing happened. We just slept it off," he continued.

Iona nodded. Ivanova did not say anything.

"Can you tell us more about the children?" said Sheridan gently.

"That may be the most important part for us to know before they wake up. Don't you think?" said Sheridan wisely.

Iona hesitated.

"Are Ambassador Delenn and Ranger Cole here too?" she asked.

"Yes," confirmed Sheridan.

"But you're both not married," said Iona, having observed their lack of wedding rings.

Ivanova was still staring at the floor and Sheridan wasn't sure if she was paying attention at this point so he answered "No. We're both unmarried. But I am seeing Delenn and do have plans to make her my wife in the future. The Commander and Ranger Cole I can't answer for."

"We're not together," said Ivanova rather sharply. She was apparently still taking part in the conversation.

"Oh," said Iona with a worried glance at the bedroom.

"Iona," said the Captain, feeling that he needed to exert some authority right now.

"Why don't you tell us about them and we'll figure out how to deal with this together okay? You've done a wonderful job in getting them here. Let us worry about the other things now. I promise that we will do our best not to hurt them. Is that fair?" stated Sheridan.

Iona considered his words for a moment.

"I suppose so. But they'll want to see both their parents. Shouldn't we get Delenn and Marcus here too?" she said slowly.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Why were we called here so urgently, John? Is there something wrong?" asked Delenn, as soon as the doors had shut behind her and Marcus Cole. She looked around his quarters for any clue as to why she and Marcus had been strongly urged to come here immediately. There did not appear to be anything amiss, so far. Neither she, nor Marcus had heard of any major events that required their attention. She was beginning to be more puzzled than alarmed.

"Ah, Captain, are you sure that you want me around, sir?" asked Marcus in his British accent. He had also observed nothing wrong and was starting to think that maybe he had not really been included in the Captain's invitation.

All eyes turned towards Ivanova as she stepped from the kitchen area with what looked like a tall glass of orange juice. She did not verbally acknowledge Delenn and Marcus, simply nodding her head at each of them slightly. She took a large gulp of her juice and sat down on a sofa, staring blankly at the closed door leading to the bedroom.

Sheridan sighed. He really couldn't blame her and he probably could do with a stiff drink himself. He doubted that glass contained only orange juice but he wasn't going to reprimand her right now. She had told Corwin to call her if there was any need but they had both set all other affairs to the side for now. This new situation was undoubtedly enough to deal with for the rest of the day, though Sheridan had a feeling it would probably take much, much longer than that.

Delenn and Marcus both turned towards him with even more questioning expressions. He sighed and wondered how he could go about telling them about Iona, Will and DJ without sounding absolutely insane. He opened his mouth to speak and then shut it again. He stared at them for a little longer causing Delenn to start becoming very worried and confusing the life out of Marcus.

Delenn was just about to speak when the bedroom door opened and Iona walked out. She looked at them and they stared at her in shock.

Iona felt like screaming in sheer frustration but settled for a sigh. She was thirsty. She looked at Sheridan, "May I have something to drink please?" she asked.

Sheridan gave up and decided to let her do the explaining, he got her a glass of water and decided that he had missed his chance to be a proper host and ask his new guests what they wanted to drink. He gently led Delenn to the sofa and sat down beside her. Marcus followed with a gaping jaw and sat down next to Ivanova which was the only other available seat. Iona had resumed her former position of watching the bedroom door.

"Draal sent me here from another universe. An alternate timeline which has significant differences to yours. Myself and my younger siblings were sent here for our safety," started Iona.

"Why were you sent to us specifically?" asked Delenn calmly, she had recovered her composure and was wondering why Sheridan was radiating so much unease. This did not sound like a very exciting or disastrous situation. She also wondered at Susan's sullen silence. She immediately felt compassion for the young girl and her siblings.

"Um, the reason that they're so nervous is that my name is Iona Sophie Ivana Sheridan and I'm the daughter of Susan Ivanova and John Sheridan in my universe. My half siblings are William Jeffrey Cole, who's the son of Susan Ivanova-Cole and Marcus Cole. And Delenn Jenna Sheridan, daughter of Delenn and John Sheridan. He's four and she's just three. They're sleeping and I asked that you be here so that I could explain things to you before they wake up. I'm afraid we haven't got much time. The sedatives our Dr Franklin prescribed for them are only going to last about three quarters of an hour now.

I'd like to tell you as much as possible about them before they wake up so that when they do, it'll be easier for them. We didn't have much time to explain to them anything and they are really smart but the concept of alternate realities is not really within their sphere just yet," continued Iona in a rush.

Delenn turned to look at Sheridan and he nodded. She could tell that he believed Iona. That meant that she would too. She trusted his judgment. But it was extremely startling all the same. A daughter with Susan and her daughter as well. She would never have imagined such a thing. And yet, they were here.

Marcus' jaw fell agape once more. The Captain and Commander had a teenage daughter? And he was married to Susan and had a son? Sure it was in another universe but he would never have even dared imagine the possibility even in his wildest dreams. Married to her and with a four year old son. In Valen's name. His universe had just been turned topsy-turvy. He didn't dare glance at Susan beside him. No wonder she wasn't talking at all.

"Right, now you're all here. May I please tell you what you need to know so that when Will and DJ come running up to be kissed and cuddled by their parents, you don't scare them off and scar them emotionally forever," said Iona, somewhat impatiently. She was getting tired and it was just as difficult for her as it was for them.

Ivanova looked up as she sensed Iona's thoughts and felt ashamed at her thoughtlessness. Of course, Iona must be very tired and frightened herself. She was barely an adult yet and she had so much responsibility already. It must be hell for her.

"Yes, Iona, we're listening," spoke Susan, in a gentle tone that none of the adults had ever quite heard from her before. They could not believe she could sound so tender.

Iona responded to that familiar, reassuring tone and the soothing touch on her mind. It strongly reminded her of her mother. This Ivanova looked exactly like her, except for the absence of the ring on her finger. Iona shut her eyes for a second, she missed her mother desperately. She took a deep breath.

"Okay, so they've both been born and brought up on Babylon 5. They live with both their parents and we need to figure that out. They're really close, DJ adores Will and pretty much follows him everywhere. Will's pretty good with her and is quite protective over his 'little sister'. Their godparents are the other's parents.

They both speak standard English and Minbari fluently. That's because they have been taught everything together. They both usually stay with whichever of their parents who are not involved in something that excludes the presence of children. So apart from some lessons with Lennier and Brother Theo, they usually are with whoever is doing paperwork or with me, or with Marcus plotting mischief, or with Dr Franklin or with Mr. Garibaldi or sometimes even Lieutenant Corwin," narrated Iona.

There were amused grins across the room at the thought of Corwin babysitting.

"Will loves peanut butter sandwiches and hates apples. He's an absolute bundle of energy and his nickname among the adults is usually 'the little terror' but that seems to be expected considering who his parents are. He's usually cheerful, good-natured and a lovable little fellow. But if he ever gets worked up about something then Uncle Stephen says that's when he's exactly like his mother. He has had tantrums like you wouldn't believe. For someone so little he has a good set of lungs on him. Fortunately for everyone they are far and few in between. The last one he had, it was because he got sick and both his parents had to be away at the same time. I can't remember how it started but he screamed himself hoarse and refused to swallow his medicine until his father came back hours later. That was about four or five months ago now. He's been fine since.

DJ, is usually an absolute angel. However she does tend to spend most of her time with Will and follows what he does quite willingly. So while she's actually quite even-tempered and gentle, you usually don't realize it when she's with Will. She's always kept up with him and that probably requires a lot of energy.

She's incredibly smart for her age and is basically learning at the same rate as Will, which is fair enough because they're actually only eight months apart in age, just born in different years. She eats most things but in small, dainty amounts.

She can be really quiet while Will seems to be quite unable to sit still for any period of time. She's definitely her parents' daughter and her nickname is 'the little princess'. I don't think she's ever had a tantrum. Not to my knowledge anyway.

They're both fantastic kids and they're great to have around. They love and adore their parents absolutely.

But the last time they saw them," Iona's voice faltered.

Susan took Iona's hand and gripped it gently as she felt the wave of pain come over Iona.

"The last time, we saw them," said Iona slowly with a shudder. She stopped.

"It must have been very difficult for you," said Delenn kindly.

Iona only nodded with her head down. Her eyes were shut and they were brimming over with tears that she refused to let fall just yet. Not right now. She had to be strong.

"It's alright. We can guess what it was like. You don't have to tell us right now," soothed Susan gently.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Susan Ivanova watched as the two young children played happily with Marcus Cole. He was amazingly good with them considering that he had never actually met them before and could apparently entertain children with absolute ease.

Then again, that probably wasn't really surprising. Marcus Cole was nothing if unpredictable, yet in hindsight it should have seemed obvious. Sometimes he did seem as annoying as an over-grown child.

She reflected on the past few hours with a sense of disbelief that she was very careful to shield. As soon as Will had woken up, she knew that he could sense her telepathically as well. Fortunately, over the years she had developed fairly good barriers around her true emotions and did her best to make sure that they stayed hidden from the child's sense.

Iona seemed to have anticipated this and Susan had felt her flood her brother with waves of loving emotion to prevent him from focusing on sensing his 'mother's' true feelings. However, both efforts were probably not entirely necessary. Will was still a little boy and discerning the emotions of others did not particularly concern him when he was focused on what was currently going on.

Will had started stirring first and Iona had quickly gone into the room. The four adults looked at each other and were not quite sure what to do. Then Delenn got up abruptly and entered the room. After exchanging looks, the rest followed her lead.

Will woke up and opened his eyes facing DJ. He gently touched her cheek. She was still sleeping.

"Will," said Iona softly. She carefully placed her hand on his shoulder and turned him towards her. He grasped her hand in his little one.

"Ina," replied Will and stared at her. He saw Delenn and gave a small smile.

As Susan came into view, his smile widened and his face lit up happily. He gripped Iona's hand to help himself clamber out of the bed and vault towards Susan excitedly.

"Mama," called Will, launching himself into her arms.

Susan was slightly unprepared for his spirited lunge at her and nearly lost her balance but Sheridan and Marcus were on either side of her and they both put an arm out to steady her.

"Daddy!" exclaimed Will as he noticed Marcus beside her. He flung his arms around her neck for a hug and then jumped straight for Marcus, who managed to catch the lively little boy without too much trouble. Will didn't notice that his 'mother' was too surprised to really hug him in return, she had just held him. Marcus had the benefit of already having watched the child hug her and immediately knew to cuddle the little boy, who wrapped his arms tightly around his neck.

Marcus met Susan's piercing blue eyes staring at Will and him in fascination. Not hearing DJ awaken yet, he turned and walked out of the bedroom, carrying Will. After a moment Susan followed him.

Iona suddenly yawned tiredly. She covered her mouth with her hand and whispered "Excuse me."

Delenn and Sheridan looked at each other.

"Iona, how long has it been since you have slept?" asked Delenn softly.

"Umm, I'm not sure. Maybe about 36 hours?" replied Iona.

"That's incredible. But now you need to sleep. You can sleep in the bed," said Sheridan, feeling an immense pride in this girl who was his daughter. She was an amazing girl.

"But," protested Iona, feebly.

"DJ will be alright when she wakes up. We will not frighten her," assured Delenn.

Iona simply got into the bed without protesting any further. She was careful not to jostle her sister but it was evident that she was very tired. She desperately needed sleep.

When Delenn turned back to DJ, she found two alert brown eyes looking at her. DJ was clutching the cover and staring at her 'mother' intently.

Sheridan almost held his breath. He didn't know what to do next, how to react.

Delenn smiled tenderly at the child, whose soft, shy smile appeared in return. She whispered a few words in Minbari and kissed the child on the forehead. DJ smiled and stretched out her arms to be picked up.

Sheridan marveled at the ease of how Delenn reacted. She was so natural, no one would not know that DJ was not her own child.

Delenn sat down on the bed and pulled the girl into her lap. DJ happily cuddled into her arms.

"Daddy," said DJ with a beautiful smile when she saw her 'father'.

John Sheridan could not help but smile in return and felt himself fall hopelessly in love with this tiny creature. He could not imagine a more exquisite child. He who had never really thought about having children. Now he apparently had acquired two daughters. Unfathomable.

A shriek of laughter carried into the room. DJ turned her head towards the sound eagerly.

"Will," she said clearly.

"Shall we go and see what he's up to, Princess?" said Sheridan, stretching out his arms to her.

"Uh huh," beamed DJ nodding enthusiastically, as he picked her up.

They found Will and Marcus playfully wrestling on the floor of the living room. DJ seemed quite content to watch the sport, held in her 'father's' arms.

Susan stared at them as they emerged from the room.

"They already look like a family," was the unspoken thought in Susan' mind.

She looked at Will and Marcus.

"That's my family," she thought for an instant.

She held back a gasp with difficulty.

Surely, this was some sort of mistake?


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Mama, how come you're not wearing your wedding ring?" observed the ever-curious Will.

Susan looked uncomprehendingly at him as her brain struggled to come up with a possible answer that did not involve explaining to the four-year-old about alternate realities and the fact that she was very much unmarried in this universe. Somehow the idea of hurting this little boy in any way at all was completely abhorrent.

"It's umm, well," hedged Susan as she struggled desperately to find a suitable answer to that question.

Marcus was watching her in amusement and she remembered just in time to not curse him loudly in her mind as Will might pick up on her emotions.

"Oh, yeah I forgot, Mama. It's okay, I remember now," said Will after a while, patting her hand reassuringly.

Both Susan and Marcus looked at him in surprise.

"You forgot?" echoed Susan, puzzled.

"Yeah, you already told me why," stated Will calmly.

"What did Mama say that time you asked?" asked Susan, now curious herself. She caught Marcus' eye. He wanted to know as well.

Will looked up at her with a roll of his eyes.

"You said it's cause you knew that your fingers would get swollen soon and you didn't want it to get stuck again," said Will.

"You put it somewhere safe so that you could wear it again after my baby brother or sister is born," continued Will complacently.

Marcus wondered if the day could get more bizarre. The latest revelation from young Will was way too much. Actually all of the past few hours had been so incredible, he had thought that it could not have gotten even more unbelievable. Apparently he was dead wrong.

Fortunately, Iona had come with milk and a cookie for Will right after he had delivered his mind-boggling information. She very effectively distracted Will from Susan, who had been holding up fairly well until the latest bit of news about their counterparts. Susan could not control her shock and she had gone quite ashen. Iona led Will away to where DJ was sitting and eating.

Her expression proved to Marcus that whatever happened in that other universe, would never ever happen in his own. She was overwhelmingly shocked by Will's words. It was rubbish to realize that the reason that you do not have everything you've ever dreamed of is that some other version of you is living it. Typical, that he would get stuck in the wrong universe.

"She loves you here as well," said a voice softly, beside him.

Marcus turned his head slowly to Iona.

"It took them ages to get together. My father and Delenn didn't really need that much help. Maybe just a little nudge in the right direction. But Mama wouldn't even hear of it, when you came along. But she'll come around," said Iona.

Marcus could only stare at her.

"How did you know what I was thinking about?" he asked.

Iona gave a small smile.

"My stepfather had the same expression on his face before he became my stepfather. Technically I helped him cheat to win Mama over," she replied.

Marcus' eyes went wide.

"You helped the me in your universe to get together with your mother?" asked Marcus, in surprise.

Iona nodded silently.

"Why?" wondered Marcus.

"Cause Mama deserved to be happy too. Dad was pretty much in a stable relationship with Delenn. He was really happy. Which was great. But Mama needed someone too. And I like you, you'd always been really great to me. I thought that you would be good for Mama. You had been trying to get Mama's attention for some time. It looked like everyone else on the station knew except Mama herself. So I decided it would be the best for all of us if I helped you out," explained Iona.

"Did your Mama know?" asked Marcus.

Iona grinned slyly.

"I'm not going to tell you that, Marcus. It's up to you. But she will come around eventually, I'm sure," said Iona and she moved away.

Marcus had a contemplative look as he watched her leave. He then turned his attention back to Susan who rather surprisingly, had gone to sit with the children as they ate their snack. She looked quite natural speaking with the two children. It looked like she had gotten over her shock very quickly. Maybe there was some hope for him yet.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Delenn sat in her quarters and focused on the clear sparkling crystal in front of her. She felt the need to be alone and meditate on her thoughts for the day. She felt exhausted but sat determinedly cross-legged on the floor and stared into the crystal intently. She knew that if she could only focus then she could start to calm her thoughts and be able to reflect more peacefully and objectively.

There had been so many unexpected revelations today. She knew well that the decisions that had led to the existence of the children who had appeared in her own universe today were made by people who had experienced different lives. Still she had found it somewhat difficult to accept certain things about the other universe.

She had never really given much thought to John's relationship with Susan. She knew that they had known each other for a long time. They were quite close. Now she realized that she didn't really know exactly how close. What they really meant to each other.

Delenn reflected that she had not really had any serious competition for John's love. There had been Anna but she was only a form used by the Shadows. The real Anna had been dead for a long time. John had already accepted that. He had grieved for her and let her go. Delenn had never really felt threatened.

Now she called to mind Iona's features. The girl was undeniably a perfect blend of two strong and equally attractive people. Delenn freely admitted that for an 18 year old girl, she had achieved amazing feats and her sense of responsibility to her siblings commended her highly. The daughter of John and Susan.

Delenn knew well that she had probably never existed in this universe, just as Will and DJ would never exist here as well. Everyone had made different choices. But there was still a possibility.

It may be irrational of her, but she picked up on the fact that Susan did not say a word when John had mentioned the incident which had probably been the time Iona was conceived. Of course it may have well been the fact that Susan had been trying to adjust to what they had all recently been told and was having a hard time of it. Delenn did not imagine for a moment that Susan would be able to accept the children easily and all that they stood for. She did know Susan quite well, she was her closest female friend.

Delenn sighed. Then again Susan was probably her only female friend. Lyta was only slightly better known than an acquaintance. There was no one else really. And Susan was her friend in a large measure due to her relationship with John. Susan had initially accepted her as a friend mainly for John's sake, of that she was sure.

Which brought her back to Iona. That beautiful, spirited girl. She was clearly the daughter of both her parents. Delenn was not completely content with her existence. Did she, Delenn, feel threatened in any way? Maybe, she decided. These were probably more human emotions than Minbari. She was sure that she would never even entertained such thoughts if she had not gone through the change to become half human.

After all, there was the existence of Will and DJ. She was slightly surprised to find that Susan and Marcus' son was older than her and John's daughter. It seemed incredible that Susan and Marcus would have gotten married or had a child before them. But again it was a different universe. The same people but quite different lives. Maybe that was what made it so difficult. If it had been completely different people then she wouldn't be at all concerned.

However, she was also aware that an alternate version of yourself was essentially the same person. Just living a variation of your life. No one is more real than the other. All are equally real and equally possible. All portraying different aspects of oneself.

Delenn could not help herself wondering about Susan's place in John's heart. She knew from the look in his eyes that he was truly proud and overjoyed to have a daughter like Iona. That had been clearly seen on his face. She did not grudge him that. Iona was in a way his daughter. In the same way that DJ was.

But DJ was younger and while John had also been clearly taken with the little child, it was Iona he was more focused on. For Iona had more of a personality and showed herself a worthy warrior, just like her father and her mother.

They needed to speak to Draal. She would also like to converse with him privately but she should not continue with these thoughts until they had spoken to the old Minbari. That was the best course of action to take.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Mama! No, Mama! Mama!" screamed Will frantically, thrashing around in his bed. He continued to scream for his parents desperately, caught in the throes of his nightmare.

"Will, sweetheart, it's okay. Honey, wake up. It's just a dream. Come on. Wake up, you're safe. It's okay. Mama's right here. I'm right here. I'm okay. Shhh, it's just a bad dream, sweetheart. It's okay," crooned Susan gently to Will, as she pulled him into her arms.

Iona watched from the doorway. Susan didn't see her. After a few minutes, Iona slipped away. Susan appeared to be able to handle Will's nightmare quite well. Iona thought it would probably be better to let Susan handle it by herself as it looked like they may have to be here for a while. There was a large possibility that they would have to stay forever. She wasn't sure what they could go back to. Their side had been winning but somehow that had changed and the Shadows suddenly had gained the upper hand in the war. She shuddered as she made her way back to her pile of blankets on the sofa.

Iona had a feeling that realistically they would probably have to stay in this universe and therefore she had to get used to the idea. It wasn't all that bad. She could easily admit that. Things were different here but she should be able to cope. Here, they were still fighting but so far the Shadows had been kept at bay. That was something. But, she wished that she could go back. More than anything she had wanted to fight. And what had happened to everyone that she loved in her own universe? She swallowed a sob and told herself to be brave. Will and DJ needed her. They had to survive. Somehow, she would find out but she had to wait. Right now, she had to be strong for all of them.

Susan lay in the bed with Will. His arms were still wrapped around her neck, hugging her and he would not let go. She stroked his hair and his back softly, settling into a soothing rhythm. She lay on her back with Will lying on top of her. He had held on to her for all he was worth when he had woken up and refused to release her at all. They had eventually settled in this position and now she was trying to get him back to sleep.

Her own actions were a surprise to herself. Susan reflected that her reaction to hearing Will's cries had been instinctive. She had rushed to his side and immediately begun to comfort him. She marveled at how she had actually managed to be rather motherly in her efforts to soothe him.

When Will finally woken up sobbing and shaking, it was the most natural thing in the world to put her arms around him and hug him tightly to reassure him that all was well. That it had only been a terrible nightmare. She had felt his fear and terror. It had been so overwhelming for Will that a few blurry images had even filtered into her own mind. They had been very unclear but enough to tell her that it was causing Will extreme anguish.

Susan wondered a little why Iona had not come in to comfort her brother. She cast about lightly and registered dark and disturbing feelings from Iona. She listened attentively but there was no sound. Susan sighed softly and decided to deal with one crisis at a time. She would speak to Iona tomorrow as the girl was not in acute distress.

Now, the little boy in her arms was about as much as she could handle for the night. His breathing had started to even out but his hold was still fairly tight. She would not be getting up yet.

Will was an amazing child. They would all have to sit down with him and try to explain the present circumstances to him. He was far too smart and was catching on very quickly that things were not quite the same. They had only just managed to get through this day by a combined effort from all parties to distract him from asking overly difficult questions.

They had not managed to discuss what had to be done yet. From the moment that the younger children woke up, there had not been a time to do so. Will was constantly puzzled to find his things gone but Iona nearly always managed to come up with an answer for everything he asked. She was incredibly patient with his persistent questions.

Will and Iona. Somehow, a version of herself in another universe had managed to have not only one but two children. They were beautiful children and anyone would be proud of them. Will was so much like Marcus, anyone could see that they were father and son. He was generally well-tempered. He did not get that from her. The only way that Will showed his relation to herself, or another version of herself, was by his mild telepathy. And that would probably be a risk rather than a boon to his life. She silently apologized to him sadly.

Iona, on the other hand, did have her features. Susan had noted her piercing blue eyes and wavy dark hair. The way she spoke and some of her mannerisms were hauntingly familiar. It was strange to see them in a younger version of herself. There were traces of John too. But Iona resembled Susan more strongly.

Susan wondered how she felt about Iona. She had never even told John what had happened. That night that they had gotten drunk, they had slept together. But Susan had slipped away before he had woken up. She had gotten pregnant but miscarried within a few weeks of finding out. She had been trying to decide what to do about the baby when it happened. Deep down she had known that she would keep the baby, but was unsure about what to do next. As it turned out, she never had to make those decisions. The choice was taken from her. She had gone on leave for a week and cried for a long time. Then she had gone back as if nothing had happened. John never knew.

Now Iona was here. The girl would have been her own daughter if she had not miscarried. Her presence brought old memories to the surface.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Hi, everyone," greeted Captain Sheridan somewhat tiredly as he entered Ivanova's living quarters.

There was a chorus of replies from the people present in the room. As usual, Marcus was on the floor playing with the Will and DJ. That appeared to be his default position whenever he was with them.

Susan was sitting with Iona and Delenn was seated by herself on another sofa. John gratefully joined her and accepted Susan's offer of a drink. He gave Delenn a smile and reached over to take hold of her hand. The smile she gave in return was not quite her usual smile. He wondered briefly what was wrong. But he would have to ask her later. It was time to discuss some things with the children before they had to be put to bed. He had tried to get here earlier but could not avoid several delays.

John took a sip of his drink and wondered how they would actually begin this discussion. No one looked like they knew how and they evidently had been awaiting his arrival before they actually said anything. The children had been here for four days. They had spoken to Draal about the situation and discussed it among themselves. The main thing that they had agreed on was that Will and DJ had to be told the truth even if they could not grasp the concepts very well.

In the end, Susan decided to start things indirectly by saying "Marcus," in a firm tone.

Marcus paused in mid-movement and looked at her. She simply nodded towards Sheridan.

"Ah, yes. Right, we're all here now. Sorry little ones, we'll continue this game later. Now we need to errr, talk to you about some things," said Marcus.

"What things, Daddy?" immediately inquired Will.

Being called 'Daddy' always made Marcus' head swim with awe and wonder.

"Go find a seat little man, we have some important things we need to talk to you and DJ about, okay?" said Marcus, with an affectionate pat on Will's head.

Will looked stormily at him and Marcus was instantly reminded of the way Susan looked right before she exploded at someone, usually himself.

"About what happened when the Shadows attacked, Will," cut in Iona in a subdued voice. She knew the warning signs of her brother's temper well.

Will's eyes widened at her words and fear instantly crept in. He turned and rushed over to his 'mother', snuggling onto her lap.

DJ also started at her sister's words. However she seemed more perceptive of the emotions behind it. She looked at her elder sister and walked over to her. She climbed onto Iona's lap and hugged her comfortingly. She could hear her sister's pain.

Iona cuddled her back tightly and everyone was silent a few minutes. Then Iona took a deep breath and whispered a quiet "Thanks, angel." She turned DJ to face the others and DJ settled on her lap.

Like everyone else present, John Sheridan was astounded at DJ's caring nature. She obviously adored her older sister and they must be very close. He could not be more proud of DJ's actions' to comfort her sister. Somehow, the John Sheridan in that other universe must have done something amazing to have two such daughters. He couldn't help wishing that they were really his. He did not wish to be in a place where the Shadows appeared to be winning, but on the other hand he would do anything to have daughters like these.

Reluctantly, John decided to launch the conversation that they had to have.

"Do you remember what happened when the Shadows attacked?" asked John slowly, clearly addressing Will and DJ.

DJ and Will's faces showed terror. John felt terrible doing so but he decided that it would be better to explain everything from the start.

"It's okay, DJ, Will. Everyone is safe now. I'm just asking if you remember what happened the last time the Shadows came," said John, with an encouraging look at the two.

DJ and Will looked at each other in confusion. Then they both looked at Iona.

"Can you please tell the Captain what you remember about the recent attack?" prompted Iona gently. They both seemed to accept the request uncertainly.

"We were in your office," said Will to Sheridan.

"Then Ina came and we all had to run," said DJ, with a slight tremor in her voice.

"Then we got attacked but Daddy came and helped us get away," continued Will.

"It was scary. There was lots of fighting," said DJ.

"Yeah, there were lots of bad guys but Ina and Daddy got us to the shuttle," chimed in Will.

Will squirmed uncomfortably on Susan's lap as he remembered the horrible events. DJ sat quietly but pressed herself back into Iona and held onto her sister's arms around her. It was clear that they retained the trauma of the ordeal.

"What is it, DJ? You can tell us," coaxed John as he saw that DJ was trying to decide whether to say something or not.

"Ina was crying when we got on the shuttle," said DJ and paused.

"And Uncle Marcus didn't come with us and Ina told us to close our eyes tight," continued DJ.

"Then we got to Epsilon 3 and Ina said that she was giving us something to make us go to sleep for a while," said Will, with a frown of concentration.

"Ina said everything would be okay when we woke up again," said DJ.

There was a sharp pain in John's his heart as he imagined what his counterpart must have been feeling in the midst of the attack. To have no choice but to send them into the unknown. Desperately counting on a slim chance of survival. Knowing that in all likelihood, he would never see his daughters again. It must have been sheer agony. Somehow he hoped that the other John knew the gamble had paid off and they were safe.

"Uncle John, why do we have to remember the attack?" asked Will seriously.

John immediately felt guilt and regret for forcing them to relive those moments. Now he reflected that it had probably been unnecessary. But at first he had thought that it would be easier if they knew what the children remembered so that they would have a starting point for explanations. He realized that he had a lot to learn about children.

"I'm very sorry, Will. Maybe I shouldn't have. I apologize to both of you. I thought that it might be good for the rest of us to hear what you remember first before we tell you about ourselves," said John.

Will thought about it and looked at DJ.

DJ simply smiled at her 'father' and said "I forgive you, Daddy."

Will appeared to think it over for a few minutes and then he nodded soberly, saying "I forgive you too, Uncle John."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Thank you, sweetheart. Thank you, Will. Now, this may be a bit confusing for you but you can ask about anything that you don't understand and I'll try to make this as easy as I can okay? This place you woke up in after the attack is not really the same place you were in before. Iona brought you here so that you could be safe. We all look like your parents but we are not really your parents," said John, awkwardly.

Will and DJ's eyes widened. Will turned around to look at his 'mother' carefully. DJ looked up at her sister in confusion.

John sighed. 'I could have handled that better,' was his first thought. Apparently dealing with children was harder than he'd ever assumed. But then how could you ever be prepared for these kinds of circumstances? This wasn't exactly a common phenomenon.

Susan felt Will's inquiring mind probe hers strongly. She briefly wondered how strong his abilities were. That issue warranted some investigation in the near future. Currently, she was busy dealing with the intensely confused emotions radiating from her 'son'.

"You're not Daddy?" asked DJ, in a soft, heartbroken voice. Her eyes were starting to fill with tears.

John felt his heart being wrenched painfully and he would do anything to take her hurt away. He wished desperately that he could recall his words. He didn't know how to answer her in the face of her tears. He stared back at her helplessly. He had no idea how to proceed and was utterly horrified that he had made DJ cry.

Marcus registered the plaintive question from the little girl that tore at his heart as well. However at that moment, he was more focused on Will who was clutching onto both of his 'parents' tightly and staring at them uncomprehendingly. Marcus was a man of many talents but currently he felt completely incapable of any coherent thought or action. He could not think beyond addressing the panic and betrayal etched on Will's little face.

"DJ, Will, listen to me," commanded Delenn with a calm but firm voice.

Iona looked at her gratefully. She was relieved that someone appeared to be taking control of the situation that seemed to be spiraling out of control. Being closely related to all of them, she was struggling under the onslaught of emotions assaulting her from every direction.

"Mommy?" asked DJ with a choked sob, looking at her.

Will also turned to stare at her with frightened eyes.

"DJ, Will, I need you to calm down and listen to me please," said Delenn with a formal air.

The two children instinctively responded to her direction. They were frightened and confused and in need of some sort of guidance.

"Come here please," ordered Delenn. She held out her arms to the two children. She had decided that it would be easier to draw their focus away from the other adults in the room who were now all also in a state of panic themselves. Comforting the children was the priority in this case.

They both obeyed. They walked towards her hesitantly. Delenn drew them both closer to herself. She let them stay standing up so that she would be able to address them at eye level as she stayed seated.

Delenn skillfully directed her gaze at each of them in turn as she started to try and explain the situation.

"The Shadow attack that you remember was very bad. The station was being destroyed. Your mothers and fathers loved you very much. I'm sure you both know that," said Delenn gravely.

DJ and Will nodded, still staring at her.

"So they made a very big and difficult decision to save you and your sister. Because they loved you so much, they sent you here to us. So that you can be safe from the Shadows. Can you understand that?" asked Delenn.

They were both silent but nodded in unison.

"The next part is a little harder for you. You see, the only place that they could send you was to another world that was like your own but not exactly the same," Delenn paused and looked at them carefully.

DJ bit her lip. Will was looking at Delenn searchingly with a slight frown as if weighing her words. He also glanced at DJ and reached over to grasp her hand in his.

Delenn let her words sink in and then continued, "We are in many ways the same people that your mothers and fathers are. But we are not your parents. We are a different version of the people who are your parents. This world is different in many ways even if it is the same in other ways."

Will's frown deepened. He gripped DJ's hand more firmly.

"So you look like DJ's mommy but you're not?" asked Will frankly.

"That is correct. But I am nearly the same as DJ's mother in many ways," said Delenn gently.

"Does that mean that you don't love me?" asked DJ timidly. That was the main question in her mind. Her world consisted of her family. She had always been very secure in their love. That was the only thing that was important to her.

Delenn kept her composure and debated briefly in her mind about what to say to the little girl.

"I do love you, DJ. And I know that John, the man you have been calling 'Daddy' loves you very much here too," answered Delenn steadily.

"What about me?" asked Will. There was a fear of rejection in his eyes. "Susan and Marcus," started Delenn but was interrupted.

"We love you, Will," stated Susan firmly. She held out her arms towards the little boy.

"I love you very much here and Marcus does as well," she told him.

Will looked at her uncertainly. He didn't move. He stood looking lost and forlorn.

Susan's heart ached at the look in his eyes. She did love him. She knew without a doubt that Marcus did as well. It didn't matter that he had only been here for four days. She loved him as if she had given birth to him. It scared her immensely but she had to deal with her own emotions later. Right now, she knew that it was extremely important that she put Will's needs first. The little boy's whole world had just come crashing down on him and he needed her.

Susan moved towards Will slowly and knelt close to where he stood by Delenn with her arms outstretched. She waited patiently. She knew that Will had to accept her by himself. From what she had learned of him, he was incredibly strong-willed for one so young. Apparently he had somehow inherited her fear of rejection.

Will looked at her and then at Marcus.

"Daddy?" he asked. He needed reassurance from Marcus himself as well. Will would not simply accept Susan's words.

"I love you, Will. Susan's right. I love you very, very much here even if I'm not quite the same person as your 'Daddy'. It's okay, little man. It will be okay," affirmed Marcus. He got down on his knees beside Susan.

Will thought for a while. Then he looked at DJ and subsequently at John Sheridan.

"Uncle John, do you love DJ?" asked Will protectively.

"Yes, I do, Will. I most certainly do. DJ, I love you just as if you are my own little girl. You both don't have to worry. We all love you and we'll do our best to take care of all of you," said John.

Will stared thoughtfully in turn at each person in the room and finally stepped away from Delenn. He released DJ's hand slowly and went towards Susan.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Captain, there's something that I need to speak to you about," said Susan Ivanova, at the end of the day's shift.

"Yeah, go ahead, Commander. What's up?" responded Sheridan amiably.

Susan hesitated. She looked troubled.

"Susan, what's wrong? Is it Marcus? Something happen with Will?" queried Sheridan.

Susan sighed.

"No, actually it has to do with Iona," she told him.

"Susan, she's eighteen and heaven knows how but she's even more stubborn than both of us. But I'm pretty sure that she's going to wait and see that Will and DJ are well settled down first before she tries to do anything rash about finding out what happened to her own universe. We've got a while to figure that one out," said Sheridan.

Susan was seriously considering backing out of telling him the truth. It would just complicate things. Life was reasonably good just now. The children were settling in fairly well. Being so young, Will and DJ had needed constant reassurances but were generally doing okay. They were able to accept most things and get on with life. Iona was turning out to be more difficult to handle in some ways. She was determined to find out what had happened to her own universe. Susan didn't blame her, knowing that she would feel the same.

"Susan, Susan!" said Sheridan, trying to get her attention. He was now puzzled and more than a little concerned.

"Can you please just tell me what's going on?" said Sheridan with a hint of exasperation.

Still Susan sat frozen.

"What do you have to tell me about Iona? Is it to do with her telepathy? Is that the problem?" asked Sheridan.

Susan shook her head slightly.

"Then what is it? Susan," Sheridan's voice took on a warning tone.

"I lost her," whispered Susan, staring at her lap.

"Excuse me? What do you mean you lost her? Sheridan to," he stopped speaking into his com link as Susan held up a hand.

Susan forced herself to look up at him, her eyes wet with unshed tears.

"Susan?" said John, coming to lean against his desk, next to her.

"What are you talking about?" he asked in complete bewilderment.

"I, we. That night on Io," started Susan, falteringly.

Sheridan's eyes widened in shock. He stared at her.

"Nothing happened," he said, sounding like he was reassuring himself.

"We just got drunk, that's all," reiterated Sheridan weakly.

Susan shook her head.

"Oh, God! Susan! What? What did happen? Susan!" said Sheridan shaking her by the shoulders.

"I left before you got up," said Susan quietly.

He looked at her, dazed.

"You were?" he asked, disbelievingly.

"I found out I was pregnant and I was trying figure out what to do. Then one day I started bleeding," said Susan, still in soft voice.

Sheridan closed his eyes at the pain that washed over him. He never even knew.

"There was so much blood. I knew what had happened. I lost her, it was my fault. I should have told you. But I lost her," said Susan with a voice full of guilt and pain.

So Iona had once been a possibility in this universe. He didn't know how he felt right now. He felt angry, hurt and betrayed. Yet the rational part of him said that he understood. A part of him understood why she had never told him. He could not put the blame entirely on her, he should never have gotten that drunk. Well, that was in the past now.

"Thank you for telling me," he said, when he finally recovered his composure.

Susan stared at him.

Sheridan sighed.

"It wasn't entirely your fault. I had some hazy memories of that night but when you never said anything, I just assumed," he stopped.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that alone. It must have been hell," acknowledged Sheridan.

She still didn't say anything. She looked down again.

"Susan, you miscarried. It wasn't your fault. Sometimes it just happens. There was nothing you could have done. It just wasn't meant to be, I suppose," said Sheridan.

"Do you want a drink?" asked Sheridan, not knowing what else to say.

After a few minutes, she looked up with a slight smile.

"No, thanks," she replied.

Sheridan raised an eyebrow.

"Marcus is making dinner tonight for me and Iona and Will," she explained.

"Ah," he said understandingly.

"Then I suggest you'd better get going," said Sheridan.

Susan stood up. Before she left, Sheridan gave her a brief hug. They looked at each other.

"Good night, John," said Susan.

"Good night, Susan," replied Sheridan.

The End

Note : This will be the conclusion for this part of the story. I do have plans to continue with a sequel. I would appreciate some thoughts on whether I should go on with it. For all who have read this, thank you very much. Feedback is much valued and thank you to those who have reviewed. It's been an encouragement. Katiyana


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